Rail bosses to take legal action over sacked worker’s union protests

Rail bosses say they will take legal action against the union of a former employee who they sacked for allowing a train to pull out of a station while a youth ‘surfed’ a carriage.

Glenn Watson was dismissed by First TransPennine Express for allowing the train to move as the 13-year-old clung onto the side.

Prior to this, a group of youngsters jumped on and off the train when it was stationary. When the conductor remonstrated with the group, he was spat at.

The teen who surfed the train admitted that Mr Watson’s actions saved his life and wants the Grimsby conductor to be reinstated.

A spokesman at First TransPennine Express (TPE) said protests held by members of the rail union, RMT, were not ‘legally valid’ and that the train company is in the process of taking legal action.

He told the Grimsby Telegraph: “The RMT industrial action that has taken place and is not legally valid. We have advised the RMT but, disappointingly, the RMT has not accepted this.

RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, described the announcement by First TransPennine Express as a ‘diversionary tactic’.

He added: “On the very day that the truth of this case was confirmed by the youth involved, TPE, instead of doing the decent thing and shaking hands and giving Glenn Watson his job back, have instead threatened the union with legal action.

“We will respond to that threat when we have examined the paperwork.”

“In our opinion, this is a diversionary tactic to deflect from the fact that the youth involved has confirmed the facts, apologised to Glenn and thanked him for saving his life.”

“The RMT has written to TPE again today asking them to right this wrong and instead of wasting huge sums of money in the courts get this hero back to work.”